Every student has a great number of educational problems, because he has to complete many assignments simultaneously and hand in them on time. Very often students lose their temper or become so exhausted, that they decide to purchase their homework papers in the Internet and save time for other assignments. This decision is quite smart, . . . → Read More: Do You Need Autism Essay Help?

]]>Every student has a great number of educational problems, because he has to complete many assignments simultaneously and hand in them on time. Very often students lose their temper or become so exhausted, that they decide to purchase their homework papers in the Internet and save time for other assignments. This decision is quite smart, because one is able to have his autism essay or term paper written by an expert for money. Moreover, the quality of this text will be much better and he will receive higher score for it.

If you understand that you run out of energy and time and cannot prepare a good research paper or research proposal on autism topics by the deadline, EffectivePapers.com service is always at your disposal. This service has spent many years on the market of custom paper writing and it has occupied one of the leading positions there. It offers help with writing for affordable price and it guarantees high quality of its assistance.

When you decide to get acquainted with EffectivePapers, you join its website and you understand that you see a reputed and professional writing service in front of you. Up-to-date design of the website demonstrates high level of professionalism and creativity of the service’s staff.

You are able to read about its writers, their essay help, the whole list of academic papers they write and prices for their assistance. Furthermore, you will notice testimonials of numerous customers who share their opinion about the quality of work and effectiveness of this service.

EffectivePapers claims that it employs top-certified experts who are able to cope with any autism academic assignment. The number of testimonials and the average quality score illustrate writers’ effectiveness brightly. Therefore, you are able to devote your assignment to these experts and be calm about the originality and composition of your autism paper. Writers share their knowledge with students and improve their educational progress considerably. The service pays much attention to the quality of its academic texts, because it does not want to lose its face and trick its devoted clients. Consequently, you receive non-plagiarized and well-edited research papers and dissertations that will be approved by your teacher.

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Finally, a solid number of writers makes it possible for the service to provide many students with quality assistance 24/7. You are able to contact its administrator anytime and ask about your order, type of assignment and its format, number of pages, writing terms and price. Let you autism essay or research paper written by academic experts from scratch!

I finally finished “Living Autism Day By Day”, written by Pamela Bryson-Weaver. This isn’t a typical autism book. It’s not written as a story. Instead, it’s written as a day-by-day inspiration. Pamela isn’t trying to tell you how you should raise your autistic child. She isn’t hitting you over the head with what you should . . . → Read More: Living Autism Day By Day

]]>I finally finished “Living Autism Day By Day”, written by Pamela Bryson-Weaver. This isn’t a typical autism book. It’s not written as a story. Instead, it’s written as a day-by-day inspiration. Pamela isn’t trying to tell you how you should raise your autistic child. She isn’t hitting you over the head with what you should do to “cure” your child. Her book is a diary of inspiration. A way to give other parents hope and help to get through the day-to day life of being a parent to an autistic child.

I sat down and tried to pick out my favorite quote from the book. This was very difficult, because there are a lot of really great ideas shared by Pamela. One really hit home for me, and I thought it would be a great one to share. Pamela starts each day in the “diary” with a quote, and finishes it with a “Just for Today” action. She also provides a section for notes on each page.

October 5

Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind - Bruce Lee

Did you know that it takes five years for the seed of a bamboo tree to emerge? Then the sprout grows an incredible 90 feet tall in just six weeks! During it’s five dormant years, the bamboo seed lays down a remarkable root system. It is this root system that empowers the bamboo plant to grow so fast in such a short time. The bamboo farmer’s patience invites us to ask: how patient are we when we don’t see immediate results from the efforts of therapy and the cultivated roots of love for our autistic child?

- Just for Today-

I patiently keep my hopes high as I work to see the results of my efforts.

Patience can be difficult for anyone to manage. How many times a day does a parent ask God for patience when dealing with an NT child? Take that and multiply it by a lot, and you have a day in the life of an autistic parent. I love my son. He’s so sweet. He’s also very stubborn. Very, very stubborn. He’s now 16 years old, and very strong. I can’t easily maneuver him physically to do or not do something. I have to be patient, and try to encourage him with words, (and sometimes bribery). On a really bad day, when patience is wearing really thin, I’ll give in and let him have his way. Yep, I have my days when I feel like I’m the worse mom in the world because I was completely manipulated by my child.

Reading the quote above reminds me that I’m not a person without patience. I’ve had my bad days, but I’ve also had some really good ones. I remember back to the days when I used to homeschool my son. Talk about an exercise in patience. I’d go weeks teaching him the same thing, calmly and patiently. Just when I think he will never grasp what I am teaching him, something clicks. And he gets it. Those, and other moments like that, are what make each day worth while.

Sometimes we just need a reminder of what is amazing about our child. Or about us. ”Living Autism Day By Day” is full of hope and advice on how to get through the days. It’s also a reminder of what makes our children so special. Raising an autistic child isn’t all the horrendous things that others may say it is. Our children can bring so much joy to our lives. Once you accept your child for who he or she is, and concentrate on helping your child live a life full of love and happiness, you will be amazed at the joy you will find in your life. If you are having a bad day, pick up Pamela’s book and find a quote in it that helps you get through it.

]]>http://www.autismlearningfelt.com/2015/03/living-autism-day-by-day.html/feed/0http://www.autismlearningfelt.com/2015/03/living-autism-day-by-day.htmlWhat To Freeze And What Not To Freezehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/autismlearningfelt/tRUm/~3/k5Rg9gZyfoA/what-to-freeze-and-what-not-to-freeze.html
http://www.autismlearningfelt.com/2015/03/what-to-freeze-and-what-not-to-freeze.html#commentsTue, 24 Mar 2015 13:56:05 +0000Tammyhttp://www.autismlearningfelt.com/?p=6578

The following infographic was forwarded to me, and I thought it would be helpful to post it on my blog. It has a lot of great information on freezing foods, including what items are not good to freeze.

]]>The following infographic was forwarded to me, and I thought it would be helpful to post it on my blog. It has a lot of great information on freezing foods, including what items are not good to freeze.

My daughter qualified for the regional Pepsi Challenge Bowling Tournament here in NC. It was held over the weekend and she did great. She bowled a 365 series, which is awesome for her. The official standings won’t be sent out for a couple weeks. I’m sure she ended up in the top 10, but only . . . → Read More: Daughter’s First Bowling Tournament

]]>My daughter qualified for the regional Pepsi Challenge Bowling Tournament here in NC. It was held over the weekend and she did great. She bowled a 365 series, which is awesome for her. The official standings won’t be sent out for a couple weeks. I’m sure she ended up in the top 10, but only the top 3 girls will make it to National.

She had a great time. My parents and other relatives came to watch, along with her best friend. Everyone was so proud of her!

With ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) or autism becoming an increasingly serious issue, there are many organizations that have come forward to contribute to autism awareness and treatment. The Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) is one among these organizations. MAPS is committed to providing care to children with ASD and other types . . . → Read More: Why MAPS Conferences are Beneficial for Pediatricians?

]]>With ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders) or autism becoming an increasingly serious issue, there are many organizations that have come forward to contribute to autism awareness and treatment. The Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) is one among these organizations. MAPS is committed to providing care to children with ASD and other types of neurodevelopmental disorders.

To help pediatricians and other medical professionals gain an understanding of ASD and other related conditions, MAPS is organizing the MAPS SPRING 2015 Conference, from March 12-14, 2015, at Hilton Orange County, Costa Mesa. Many doctors, pediatricians and other health professionals are going to attend this conference as speakers, and will discuss about ASD, its interventions and treatment.

If you are a pediatrician, it’s important for you to get an in-depth knowledge and understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders, as that would enable you to deliver the right care to kids with these disorders. Attending this conference would prove to highly beneficial for you, as it would effectively educate you on ASD.

Listed below are the benefits pediatricians can get by attending the MAPS SPRING 2015 Conference:

1. Know about testing and evaluation

As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, screening should be done using standardized tests, at ages of 9, 18, 24 and 30 months. A few examples of these tests are – Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) and Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (CHAT). For the formal tests of examination of behaviors related to autism (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale or Childhood Autism Rating Scale), assessment of adaptive function (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale), and cognitive level (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), it is recommended that pediatricians should refer to a neuropsychologist.

Such tests are essential to determine the comorbid conditions and intellectual abilities of a child. Results of the tests would help in guiding school placement, so as to maximize the potential of the kid. Abilities may vary over time, and interim analysis might be beneficial in guiding the family. 2. Know about behavior of children with autism

Autistic kids sometimes show self-aggressive and disruptive behaviors, besides showing irritability, hyperactivity and anxiety. About 30% of autistic children show irritability ranging from moderate to severe. Such behaviors are not only distressing for teachers and parents, but are also sometimes disruptive for family activities, because of which parents need medical intervention.

Pharmacologic and behavioral treatments are quite helpful. FDA has approved Risperidone for targeted therapy, to help in case of aggression and severe tantrums in kids, and there are many studies supporting its use. In small studies, several antipsychotics, such as aripiprazole, quetiapine and Olanzapine have displayed beneficial effects. In kids with some comorbid condition like eplilepsy, it is helpful to use an anticonvulsant having mood-stabilizing characteristics (for example – valproic acid). Although the condition of autism has serotonergic dysregulation, using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for kids with ASD, is not supported by large controlled randomized studies.

3. Learn about link between autism and epilepsy

One-third of autistic kids experience seizures. The age at which onset of epilepsy occurs, displays a bimodal distribution usually. The first peak occurs before 5 years of age, and the second after puberty. The risk of seizures is increased if cognitive impairment is present. All kinds of seizures may be seen, including myoclonic, generalized tonic-clonic and complex partial. The repetitive movements of body and “staring spells” reported by many parents, are not phenomena related to seizure usually. They are likely to be types of stereotypic behavior.

For a kid with newly onset seizures, he/she should go for electroencephalography and brain MRI. However, it should kept in mind that electroencephalogram (EEG) findings may be abnormal in kids with ASD, where there is no evidence of any clinical seizures. So, abnormal findings of EEG, in a kid with no clear clinical events suggesting seizures, should be carefully handled. Whether or not the events that a family reports are really epileptic, can be determined with the help of prolonged EEG that records clinical events.

Seizure treatment makes use of standard antiepileptic medications, like levetiracetam, lamotrigine and valproic acid. It’s important to provide proper counseling to families with kids with ASD, on safety issues associated with activities like climbing, bathing and swimming, as mortality and morbidity related to these activities is greater for kids who experience epilepsy.

4. Know about treatment of ASD and autism:

There is no single method of treatment to treat all individuals with ASD. Medical professionals determine treatment options, according to the difficulties and strengths, and the unique needs of an individual. The treatment should be started early and the method of treatment should fulfill the needs of the kid. Difficulties in communication and behavior should be treated. Caregivers and parents should be involved in the process of treatment.

For ASD and autism, early intervention is extremely important. The aim of early intervention is reducing the autistic kids’ problematic behaviors (such as head-banging, interrupting and emotional outbursts), improving their communication and motor skills, and teaching them social skills. Early intervention also tries to enhance positive behaviors (like turn-making during social situations).

Though sometimes medications are utilized to expand attention span and lower unwanted behaviors, but, such unwanted behaviors should be reduced using alternative options. This is because several medications may lead to side-effects, particularly if kids take them for a prolonged period. Psychological treatment options, like behavioral intervention, have led to improvement in individuals with ASD.

The last two weeks have been filled with snow and ice for us in the Carolinas. The kids enjoyed it, because it meant no school. For me, though, it means I have to play catch up with my blog. I’m in the middle of reading “Living autism day by day” by Pamela Bryson-Weaver. I had . . . → Read More: I Hope Elsa Is Done Visiting Us

]]>The last two weeks have been filled with snow and ice for us in the Carolinas. The kids enjoyed it, because it meant no school. For me, though, it means I have to play catch up with my blog. I’m in the middle of reading “Living autism day by day” by Pamela Bryson-Weaver. I had to put that on hold while I had the kids home.

I also didn’t get any time on the computer for writing blog posts. Keeping up with two kids that are going crazy with being stuck in the house is a challenge for any parent. We couldn’t go anywhere, because it wasn’t safe to drive on the roads.

My son’s 16th birthday is in a few days, and we are still planning on what we are going to do. He wants to do the traditional trip to the aquarium, but I’m not sure that we should do that. If we do, I think we should go to a different one than where we usually visit. My son didn’t seem to enjoy the last two visits. I can’t help but think that he only wants to go because it has become a tradition. You know how autistic children love to follow routines.

My husband wants to the one near Carolina Beach, because that means we can go visit his mom afterwards. I told him what I thought about that, and let it go. I’m hoping that he’ll think about it, and agree with me. I think we would all enjoy the aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores a lot better than Fort Fisher. There’s also the new aquarium in Charlotte that we have never been to. I think I’ll remind him of that. There are some stores in that area that I know he would love to visit. (Big NASCAR fan that my husband is)

Give me a couple of weeks to finish Pamela Bryson-Weaver’s book, and I’ll tell you all about it. If you’ve read it, let me know what you think. Maybe we can hop onto twitter and chat about it. It’s been awhile since I’ve participated in a book group on social media. I think it would be fun. Now I have to go and sort through my email. It was also neglected thanks to Elsa’s visit to my state.

Mom in tears after police handcuff son, 9, at Ottawa school | CTV News. A 9 year old boy handcuffed at school brings an immediate response of shock and horror to most people. The idea of a child with autism being handcuffed isn’t something autism parents want to think about. When we hear about it . . . → Read More: Mom in tears after police handcuff son, 9, at Ottawa school | CTV News

]]>Mom in tears after police handcuff son, 9, at Ottawa school | CTV News. A 9 year old boy handcuffed at school brings an immediate response of shock and horror to most people. The idea of a child with autism being handcuffed isn’t something autism parents want to think about. When we hear about it happening, the first thing we do is imagine that it is our child being handcuffed by the police.

If it was my child, I would be extremely angry. I would be demanding actions being taken against the school and the police. Thankfully, it wasn’t my child. This makes it easier for me to ask myself, “what should have happened in that situation?” My response, “I don’t know. I wasn’t there.” It’s easy for us to sit back and judge actions of others, to make an “emotional high ground stand”. We weren’t there to witness how violent the child’s outburst was. We weren’t there to witness if the other students were in danger. We weren’t there to witness anything.

If you were the police officer in question, what would you have done? Yes, placing a 9 year old autistic child in handcuffs is a scary idea for us parents. What about the other children? This situation had to be scary for them, too. I haven’t read anything that states that the police officer hurt the 9 year old autistic boy. Truly, for the protection of everyone involved, what other actions could the police officer have taken?

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have become an issue of serious concern in the present times. Health professionals, scientists and researchers are continuously trying to find the exact cause behind autism, and come up with effective methods to treat it. The Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) is one of the leading organizations . . . → Read More: 5 Reasons Medical Professionals should Join MAPS SPRING 2015 Conference

]]>Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have become an issue of serious concern in the present times. Health professionals, scientists and researchers are continuously trying to find the exact cause behind autism, and come up with effective methods to treat it. The Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) is one of the leading organizations committed to delivering superior care to kids with ASD and related neurodevelopmental disorders.

To educate medical professionals on ASD and other conditions, MAPS is going to organize the MAPS SPRING 2015 Conference from March 12-15, 2015, at Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa. The conference will see many doctors, pediatricians and other medical professionals as speakers, sharing their knowledge on the disorder and its treatment.

If you are a medical professional, this conference would provide you an insight into autism, its diagnosis and treatment. Here are the reasons why you should consider attending the MAPS SPRING 2015 Conference:

1. To Gain an Understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders:

Autism is not one disorder, it’s a spectrum of several disorders closely related to each other, and with shared symptoms. Every person affected with ASD faces difficulties to some extent with flexible behavior, communication, empathy and social skills. However, the symptom combination and the disability level varies considerably from one individual to another. For example, two children with the same autism diagnosis may appear very different, in terms of their abilities and behaviors. Each child with autism has unique needs, and should be treated according to them.

2. To Know About the Types of ASD:

Autism Spectrum Disorders are a part of “umbrella” category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), which are five childhood-onset neurodevelopmental conditions. The terms “autism spectrum disorder” and “pervasive developmental disorder” are used interchangeably by several autism specialists. The 3 most common Pervasive Developmental Disorders are:

Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Specified Otherwise (PDD-NOS)

Asperger’s Syndrome

Autism

The remaining 2 Pervasive Developmental Disorders are Rett Syndrome and Childhood disintegrative disorder. As both of these are very rare genetic disorders, they are considered as separate medical conditions, and are not considered as truly belonging to autism spectrum.

The 3 autism spectrum disorders have several same symptoms, but are different in their impact and severity. The most severe type of autism spectrum disorders is autistic disorder or classic autism. The milder forms are atypical autism or PDD-NOS and Asperger’s Syndrome, also known as high-functioning autism. As per the ‘Autism Spectrum Resource Center’, only 20% of individuals on the spectrum are affected by classic autism. The majority are somewhere on the spectrum’s milder range.

3. To Know the Signs and Symptoms of ASD:

In kids as well as adults, the symptoms and signs of ASD include restricted interests and activities, difficulty with speech, language and social skills. However, huge differences are there in the behavior patterns, severity of symptoms and the combinations of symptoms. Pediatric CME conferences such as this, can provide you a detailed insight into the different symptoms of ASD, and how to diagnose the disorder on the basis of these symptoms.

4. To Learn About Diagnosis of ASD:

The process of autism diagnosis may be time-consuming and difficult. Many behaviors linked to ASD, are a part of some other neurodevelopmental disorders too. So, a medical assessment needs to be conducted, for ruling out other factors, which may be the cause behind the difficulties (such as hearing problem).

Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in children is usually performed by carrying out a thorough assessment, which is done by many medical professionals together. Health professionals forming the assessment team are a psychologist, a pediatrician or child psychiatrist and a speech pathologist. The information needed for deciding the treatment approaches, is given by these medical professionals. ASD diagnosis in adults, is conducted by a psychologist or psychiatrist with experience in ASD.

5. To Learn About ASD Treatment Methods:

No single treatment method can treat all autistic individuals. Based on an individual’s unique needs, strengths and difficulties, ways of treatment are determined by medical professionals. It is important to start treatment early, and the treatment option should meet the child’s needs. Behavior as well as communication difficulties should be treated. Parents and caregivers should be allowed to get involved in the treatment process.

Early intervention is very important when it comes to treatment of ASD. Early intervention is aimed at teaching social skills to autistic kids, developing their motor and communication skills and lowering their problem behaviors (like emotional outbursts, interrupting and head-banging). It also aims to promote positive behaviors (such as turn-making at social situations).

Although medications are sometimes employed for increasing attention span and reducing unwanted behaviors, however, alternative options should be explored for lowering the unwanted behaviors. This is because some medications can cause adverse side-effects, especially if children have those medications for a long period. Psychological treatments, such as behavioral intervention has resulted in improvements in the functioning of ASD affected people.

The MAPS SPRING 2015 Conference would educate you on these areas, and many other areas beyond these, related to neurodevelopmental disorders. Leading medical experts in their respective fields would share their knowledge on innovative treatment methods and technologies helpful in ASD treatment. As a medical professional, attending such pediatric CME conferences would be highly beneficial for you. So, register now for the MAPS SPRING 2015 Conference.

Playdates are beneficial for ALL children to practice critical social skills on which future relationships will be built. The benefits of playdates include: increasing confidence; improving social decision making; and practicing skills in an adult supervised yet natural setting. Playing together allows kids to be a part of the action vs. being quiet observers. Play . . . → Read More: Ten Tips for Playdates With Kids of All Abilities

]]>Playdates are beneficial for ALL children to practice critical social skills on which future relationships will be built. The benefits of playdates include: increasing confidence; improving social decision making; and practicing skills in an adult supervised yet natural setting. Playing together allows kids to be a part of the action vs. being quiet observers. Play typically develops in a natural progression from individual play to parallel play (when children play next to each other), and finally to interactive/social reciprocal play. Many parents of children who are typically developing and those with special needs set up playdates to encourage the building of critical skills and friendships. The most important lesson learned from playing with a variety of children is that EVERY child is different and special! Throughout life, we meet and interact with people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities and learning from each other can truly enhance our life.

Here are some tried and true tips I recommend for setting up playdates with children who are on the autism spectrum

· Practice playing. It may be hard to believe, but the act of playing doesn’t come naturally to some kids. For example, children with autism often have difficulty with taking turns, having conversation, and interpreting nonverbal gestures. Practicing and explaining this to your child may help him to feel more comfortable. Together, discuss strategies that can be used to help facilitate play. What is a facial expression? Make different faces and ask your child to guess your emotion.

· How do I find children with common interests? Teachers are amazingly insightful and may provide wonderful help to identify the children who tend to play together and enjoy similar interests. Volunteer in your child’s classroom to see who your child is interested in playing with. Additionally, birthday parties are great opportunities to observe those children who may be a good match for a playdate. Clubs and activities allow children with similar interests to enjoy each other’s company. My son showed an early interest in chess. I often arrived early to pick him up from chess club and to determine who showed interest in my son. The same is true for Lego club, music classes, art, or sports.

· Remember that parents of children with special needs are used to answering questions about their children and are often quite comfortable discussing ways to help create successful social interactions. Also, be mindful that many families’ schedules are busy but a child with special needs may have additional appointments for therapy, medical, and developmental concerns. Be flexible in scheduling and do not be offended if the playdate needs to be re-scheduled.

· Shared interests can make a playdate successful. Identify what the children have in common. Build activities upon mutual interests. So, set up Legos and build Angry Birds or Minecraft structures. If the children like the same movie, set up puzzles, art, baking, or sensory play based on the movie. Consider meeting at a location such as a park or museum. Siblings should not be a part of the playdate to allow for targeted friendship building between the two participants.

· Make a plan and then review it with both children who are participating. At the beginning explain what the playdate will look like: First, we will work on a puzzle, and then a snack, etc…. Many children who have special needs benefit from a visual schedule and knowing exactly what is coming up next. ALL of us enjoy predictability and feel more confident with a specific plan in place. However, be flexible if any difficulties or disagreements arise.

· Consider food allergies and sensitivities. When planning a snack contact the other child’s parent to determine which foods are safe for both children. It can be very meaningful for the other parent and is a critical step to avoiding potential life-threatening reactions to foods. Do not be offended if the children do not eat what is set out for snack. The kids may just be too excited to eat!

· Be mindful of any physical limitations. For example, many children with sensory issues do not prefer to get messy, dirty or wet but they can be super at doing other things such as building or creating. It’s always a sensitive topic to talk about someone’s weaknesses, instead ask, “What is Billy great at doing?”

· Provide adult supervision and support throughout the playdate. Since children of all abilities have different personalities, disagreements may arise. Consider ways to resolve conflicts such as asking both kids to take five deep breaths or closing their eyes and counting to ten. Make sure to ask the other parent which strategies are used when their child becomes stressed or upset. Preparation is a key ingredient in successful interaction when facilitating a playdate.

· Begin with short playdates of an hour. Keep the first playtimes shorter until the children become more comfortable with each other. Consider having more short yet frequent play times with the same friend since relationships can take time to build. It’s important to end on a good note. So, if the children are in any type of conflict, help to facilitate a peaceful ending.

· There is NO such thing as a perfect playdate! Do not put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Both typically developing kids and children with special needs are learning while practicing play and social skills. When learning a skill we all make mistakes. Our children benefit from every social interaction opportunity. Give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy watching new friendships bloom and develop.

In recent days, the name “Autisms” is better suited than the singular “Autism”, though the full form of ASD is already known as Autism Spectrum Disorders. The impairments or disorders caused by ASD are not one or two, but cover a huge as well as broad spectrum. It is also found that if autism or . . . → Read More: ‘Autisms’ – A More Suitable Term for ‘Autism’

]]>In recent days, the name “Autisms” is better suited than the singular “Autism”, though the full form of ASD is already known as Autism Spectrum Disorders. The impairments or disorders caused by ASD are not one or two, but cover a huge as well as broad spectrum. It is also found that if autism or ASD is not diagnosed and treated from the early stage, then it may turn into other brain disorders with time and age. So, now it is understandable that why we can’t bind this neuropsychiatric disorder with some known regular symptoms.

This brain disease is incurable because autism is strongly genetic, but we can’t ignore the disorder. The reason is said above and that is, it can turn into other brain retarding diseases with no treatment. Dr. Stephen Scherer, the director of Center for Applied Genomics at the Hospital in Toronto said, “We believe a better term to use is ‘the autisms,’ or ‘the autism spectrum disorders’ (that is, plural)”.

The basis of saying ‘autisms’ instead of ‘autism’:

According to the researchers’ point of view, saying the plural autisms instead of autism is based on genomic studies of siblings, taken from different families.

Image Courtesy: Yahoo.com

Study:

A study was done by Scherer and his colleagues with 85 pairs of siblings having ASD, from the 85 families. The study shows an interesting data. It shows that 36 sibling pairs of those 85 families were with mutations and linked with the gene/s associated with autistic impairments.

Result:

The actual finding in this study was, only one-third siblings were with same mutations, but the rest were found with no identical mutation. This finding was published on 26th Jan in Nature Medicine journal.

Conclusion:

Dr. Stephen Scherer said, “This emphasizes that these kids have different forms of autism (each their own snowflake) and need to be treated in their own special way”.

So, it is crystal clear that autistic siblings will not always be found with identical genome mutation. The autistic brothers and sisters from same family are also with different genome mutation, and they need individual treatment in special ways.

MSSNG database to prove why autism turns to autisms:

Scherer believes, “In the future, once there is a suspected diagnosis of autism, the (child’s) genome will be sequenced and doctors will compare it to the MSSNG database to find out what form of autism that child has”.

MSSNG database is nothing but a database to store the genomes of 10,000 individuals with autistic impairments . Whole-genome sequencing is the technique used to analyze DNA of an individual, and this technique is used to identify an autistic individual comparing that individual’s genome with the MSSNG database. Not only that, but this technique is also helpful to add the genome sequencing data of an individual with ASD in the MSSNG database.

So, a brain disease with multiple genome variants is enough to make this singular named disease Autism to Autisms.